Method of operating gas-power plants.



H. PBTTIBONE & G. L. STRAUB.

METHOD OF OPERATING GAS POWER PLANTS.

APPLICATION FILED PBILZO, 1909. 1,004,588. Patented 0013,1911.

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METHOD OF OPERATING GAS POWER PLANTS.

APPLIOATION FILED FEB. 20,- 1909.

Patented Oct. 3, 1911.

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H. PETTIBONE & C. L. STRAUB. METHOD OF OPERATING GAS POWER PLANTS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 20, 1909.

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METHOD OF OPERATING GAS POWER PLANTS. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 20, 1009.

1,004,588. Patented 0013,1911.

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1,004,588. Patented Oct. 3, 1911.

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H'. PETTIBONE & G. L. STRAUB. METHOD OF OPERATING GAS POWER PLANTS.

APPLICATION IILBD FEB. 20, 1909.

Patented Oct. 3, 1911.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HAWLEY PETTIBONE, OF NEW ROCHELLE, NEW YORK, AND CONSTANTINErLEE STRAUB,OF PERTH AMBOY, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNORS TO MARINE PRODUCER GAS POWERCOMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

.Toall whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, HAWLEY Pnrrnaonn,

- residing at New Rochelle, in the county of ful Improvements in Methodsof Operating Gas-Power Plants, of which the following is aspecification. ThlS invention relates to the method of other purposes,than can be supplied by steam, or the lighter hydrocarbon liquids usedin internal combustion engines. Coal as used for generating steam poweris extremely bulky, taking'up much .room which might be used to muchbetter advantage for storage of freight or for increased passengeraccommodations; and hydrocarbon, liquids are tooexpensive to be used ona commer cial scale as a motive power in internalcombustion engines. Byconverting coal, especially the cheaper and universally distributedbituminous coal, into gas, generated as required and used as generated,as the motive power in internal combustion engines the i I fuel bill isreduced about fifty per cent. and

the room for storage is correspondingly increased, as compared with theweight and bulk of fuel now required for steam power.

The object of our invention is to provide for generating gas foroperating an internal combustion englne, from bituminous "coal or otherfuel, continuously drawing it off by an exhauster, cleaning it, reduclngto con-' stant'and approximately atmospheric pressure, and blowingofi',or diverting andstoring gas when the engine is reversed or tem-Yporarily stopped, whereby the generation of standard gas'may be madecontinuous and the body of fuel in the producer be maintained in fulloperative condition and a standard quality of gas be delivered oninstant demand to the engine. i

This is adivision of our application for patent Serial Number 145,3 14,filed July 25,

1908, containing claims for the apparatus,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Serial No. 445,344. Divided and this application flled-lebmaryfifi,

190a Serial No. 479,113.

e'conomizer.

METHOD OF OPERATING GAS-POWER PLANTS.

I Patented Oct. 3, i911.

The matter constituting our invention herein will be defined in theclaims.

The details of construction andarrangement of a suitable apparatus .-forcarrying out our method of operating a marine gas power plant areillustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 representsa rear elevation of art of the apparatus with arts in section. ig. 2represents a partial side elevation-and partial vertical section of ageneratorand Fig. 2 represents a sectional detail view of the base ofthe generator'at the ash-pit, showing, an inlet-pipe for'compressed gas.Fig. 3 represents a top plan view, with partsbroken away, of theapparatus shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 represents a side elevation ofthe-apparatus on reduced scale, showing a centrifugal extractor,-a'fanand motor. Figs. 5 and 5' represent a diagrammatic view in verticalsection of most of the apparatus of a marine gas power plant. Figs. 6and 6 represent *a sectional diagrammatic view of a modification of theapparatus.

In our power plant we preferably-provide two generators or gasproducers, 1 and 1, though each is an independent unit, for the purposeof generating and delivering gas. Each generator is separately connectedat the base to a tubular economizer, as 2 and 2, of identicalconstruction, and each of these is connected at the top to a singlewater-spray scrubber, 3. Both generators may be operated at the sametime and deliver producer-gas to this gas scrubber, or either one may beoperated separately and deliver to the scrubber, according to the volumeof gas required.

The producer or generator 1, is constructed with a plate iron shellhaving'a firebrick lining and is provided with a fire-brick grate4,'forminga fuel chamber 1 above and an ash pit 5 below. Openings anddoors 7 and 8, having fastening devices are provided in the wall of thefuel chamber and ash 'pit for cleaning and regulating the fire, andremoving ashes. A large central fuel supply openlng 9, having a tightfitting' structed with lower and upper tube-sheets 14 and 15, connectedby tubes 16, and forming the heating chamber 17 and the lower and uppergas chambers 19 and 20. The chamber. 17 may have baflie plates, fittingaround the tubes and extending transversely from the walls about halfthe diameter of the cylinder as shown in Fig.- 1. These baffle-platesserve to deflect the air, or mixed air and spent ases from a gas engine,back and forth against the tubes for better absorbing the heat. 1 At thebase of chamber 17 connects an' air-inlet pipe 21, with which connects apipe 60, Figs. 4 and 5, admitting exhaust spent gases from the engine. Agas pipe 22, having a valve 23, connects with chamber 20 and leads tothe top of scrubher 3. A hand-hole and cover 24 are provided in the wallof gas chamber 19. A delivery pipe 25, Figs. 1 and 3, connects with theupper part of chamber 17 and with a three-way valve 26 which connects bya short pipe 27 with the top of the generator and by a pipe 28 with thepurge stack 29. Valve 26 is provided with a downwardly projectin stemand hand wheel 30.

To the stem of gate-valve 23 is pivoted I a lever 31, which is pivotedto a standard and to an operating rod 32 which, at its lower end, ispivoted to a hand-lever 33, in turnpivoted to a fixed bracket 34, forraising and lowering the gate.

A pipe 35, having a valve 36, connects with a tank 62, filled withcompressed gas by compressor 63 and pipe 64, Figs. 5 and 6,.

and extends through a flanged socket 37 Figs. 1, 2 and 5, into the ashpit, for discharging jets. of gas, under pressure and im- .pulse, intothe body of ignited fuel, for

blowing out ash and cinder. In a downdraft gas producer or generator theinterstices of the fuel become plugged, after a few hours operation,with ash and cinder, so that it is difficult to draw air and gas downinto and through the fuel, thus decreasing the make of gas. Under thiscondition-the valve 36 is suddenly'opened, permitting a jet of gas underpressure to be injected into the fuel, with the result that the ash andcinder are blown out of the purge-stack 29, the three-way valve being atthat time adjusted to connect the top of the generator to thepurge-stack. The oper- -ation being performed, the valve 36 will bebranch pipes 40 with annular water chambers 43 provided by the conicaldiaphragms 42 arranged at suitable intervals in the scrubber cylinder 3,Fig. 5. A main gas outlet pipe 44 connects with the upper. end of thescrubber 3, and leads to a centrifugal extractor 45 and exhaust fan 46.The extractor and fan are mounted in a suitable casing upon a high speedelectric motor 49, fixed on a suitable foundation, as shown in Fig. 4,and in the diagrammatic view, Fig. 5. In Figs. 1 and 4 thegas outletpipe 44 connects with the lower end. ofthe scrubber 3 and leads 1 to thecentrifugal extractor 45. The centrifugal extractor is alsoprovidedwi't-h water spray-pipes 50. v A gas outlet pipe 47 conshaft 48which is coupled to the shaft of a w with the cylinders of the internalcombustion engine 55. Near the engine and before the governor the pipe53 has a blow-off branch pipe 56 provided witha butterfly valve 57, orother suitable form of valve. Pipe-53 is provided, adjacent to theengine, with a butterfly valve 58 and the levers of these valves 57 and58 are connected by a rod or cord 59, so that the closing of valve 58will automatically open valve 57. By means of this mechanism thegeneration of gas need'not be' interrupted or checked when the engine isreversed or temporarily stopped by closing valve 58; The body of fuel inthe generator 1 will, therefore, remain in full operative condition anda standard quality of gas be constantly deliver-ed, so that by openingvalve 58, standard gas will be supplied to the engine. When bituminouscoal is used .in the generator, the gas evolved from the distillingcoal, would soon become too rich in hydrocarbons for uniformly operatingthe engine, if the supply of air to the generator and the outflow of gasfrom the generator werev temporarily stopped when the engine wasreversed 'or temporarily stopped, as often happens in navigating a'boat,to avoid collision with other boats, or for other reasons. Thisprovision is important for a marine vessel, where no holder is used, butif the power plant is used on landthe pipe 56 may discharge into astorage holder. An exhaust plpe 60 leads from the engine to the inletpipe 21 at the base of the tubular economizer 2. The pipe 60 connectswith a coupler at economizer 2, with which also connects pipe 21 and thelower end of this coupler is open-for admitting air. The exhaust fan 46which draws gas otf from the generator will also draw air and exhaustproducts into the heating chamber 17 of the economizer, wherein both areheated, and flow then through the three-way valve 26 and pipe 27 intothe top of the generator 1, as indicated in Fig. 5.

In the diagrammatic view, Fig. 6, the construction and arrangement ofthe exw hauster is modified and in place of a centrifugal extractor andfan, a water-jet exhauster 22, may be connected in the pipe connectionbetween the economizer 2 and the spray scrubber 3, and in such device is1 5 placed a valve 22 for controlling the supply of water to the 'etnozzle. In this modification, the eliminator 52 is placed near the topof thespray scrubber 3. The

pipe connections, valves, pressure governor, 2'0 and other connectionsbetween the eliminator. and the gas engine are substantially the sameas. shown in Figs. 5 and 5.

A tank 62, Figs. 5 and, 6, a gas compressor 63- and pipe 64 suppliescompressed gas by 26 pipe 35 to the ash-pit. v

The compactarrangement of the apparatus for enerating, cleaning anddelivering gas is s owngiroperly assembled in Figs.

3. and 4, adapte to be placed on a vessel, 30 and the gas enginewill beplaced in the most effective position for connection with the propellershaft. Every part of ,the apparatus is constructed and arranged withspecial reference to taking u the least possible space and being of thelightest construction,

consistent with 'efiiciency. Instead of the vertical spray scrubber 3 ahorizontal scrubber may be effectively usedand placed on the upper deckof a vessel so that the waste water may be readily drained off into thesea without pumping: A centrifugal cleaner and exhaust fan, operated athigh speed are preferred for the reason that they are very much lighterthan a positive Root, or other, exhauster, also for the further reasonthat in case the exhaust fan is accidentally stopped gas may be suckedthrough it by the engine, in sufiicien't quantity to operate the same. X

Though we preferably use bituminous coal, as being the most convenientand readily obtainable, at comparatively small cost, in most localities,we may use coke, anthracite coal, lignite, peat or wood for generatinggas with satisfactory results in our down draft generator. -A fireha'vin been kindled on the grate, coil is gradual y fed in and allowedtoburn by natural draft until a suitable bed of incandescent fuel isproduced and the products allowed to escape through the purge stack 29;then the generator is closed, valve 26 adjusted to close the openingtozthe stack and open communication from heating chamber 17 to the 'topof the generator and the extractor and exhaust fan '46 put intooperation by turning on current to the hi hspeed electric motor, 49. Thefan will raw air through pipe 21 into heating chamber 17, thence throughpipe 27 into the genera-tor and down into the ignited fuel 1 whereinmotive power gas will be generated. This as, passin by exhaustion downithroug the incandescent fuel, will be sub- ;jected to a sufliciently hih temperature to convert all the containe oily and tarry -vapors intofixed combustible as, and most of the carbon dioxid into caron-monoxid'. The volume of gas thus produced will be i-drawir off fromthe base of the generator through-the tubes of the economizer 2, thencethrough the spray scrubber 3 and thence by the fan 46 through thecentrifugal extractor ,and discharged under pressure either directly topipe 53, or into the eliminator 52. The gas in passing through theeconomizer will be cooled by the air flowing in contact with the tubesin chamber 17, and in passing -throutghthe scrubber 3 will be furthercooledfand reed from particles of soot, or lamp black, ashes, etc., andin the centrifugal extractor will be further purified by removal ofdirt. In case the gas discharged by the fan contains an objectionablepercenta of moisture it will be passed through the e iminator andcaused; to impinge, in small streams upon a great number of brittleplates by means of which the particles of water will be eliminated andcaused to drip into outlet chambers.

The gas passing into pipe 53 will be under variable pressure, producedby the high speedfan, and in. order to reduce it to a uniform andapproximately atmospheric pressure it is passed through the governor 54and delivered at the desired pressure to the engine 55. Should the fanbe accidentally stopped sufficient gas may be sucked throu h it, by theengine, for a short time, as would not be possible with a positiverotary exhauster, such as a.- Root exhauster. We, therefore, preferablyuse a high-speed electric motor and fan for exhausting gas from thedgenerator and drawing air and exhaust pro ucts from the engine into thenerator. No steam is required in the pro notion of gas. The carbondioxid in the exhaust products, in passing through the incandescentfuel, is converted into combustible carbon monoxid, while oxygen of theair maintains combustion and is converted into carbon monoxid. A smallpercentage of hydrogen will be made or evolved from the coal or otherfuel used. The gas roduced contains the requisite percentage 0 thermalunits to make a most effective motive power in an internal combustionengine of large 4 power,

Fuel will be fed into the generator as re- &

so as to impede the passa e of air down through the same as will e shownby a vacuum gage applied to the outlet pipe.

' This condition is apt to arise in a downdraft generator, andparticularly, when bituminous coal is used, since,the tarry matterdistilled from the fresher coal flows down into contact withincandescent coal and is decomposed causing the resulting lamp-black orfine carbon to plug the interstices of the fuel. When this conditionarises the three-way valve 26 willbe adjusted to make connect-ion frompipe '27 at the top of the generator to the purge pipe 29, at the sametune the valve 36 in pipe 25 will be suddenly opened, admitting a jet ofgas under pressure intothe base of the body of fuel, thereby blowingash, fine carbon and cinder from the interstices of the body of fuel andthence out through the purge stack 29. These sudden pufls may berepeated at short intervals until the fuel bed is suitably opened andcleaned and then the three-way valve will be adjusted to opencommunication from heating chamber 17 through pipe 27 to thegenerator.Gas may be compressed in cylinder 62 up to a pressure of 60 to 100pounds by means of the compressor 63. At intervals of twenty-four hoursor more, the ashes may be cleaned from the base of the generator andremoved through the doors 7 and 8. When one generator is thus beingcleaned the other generator may be in active operation for theproduction and delivery of gas.

During the propulsion of a vessel it may be necessary,'at any moment, toreverse the engine or to temporarily stop the same and when this isrequired, gas willbe shut off from'the engine by closing valve 58 in thesupply pipe 53. In this movement of closing valve 58 the valve 57 inblow-off pipe 56 will be opened, by reason of the rod 59 connecting thelevers of the" two valves, and gas which is delivered from the generatorthrough pipe 53 will be temporarily blown off or into a holder, withoutstopping the production of gas in the generator. The 'cent-rifugalextractor and fan being kept in operation will instantly deliver gas ofstandard quality to the engine on opening valve 58.

Having described our invention, what we claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. The method of operating a marine gaspower plant, which consists in continuously generating producer gascontinuously drawing or exhausting the gas from the producer'andsupplying it at a regulated and approximately atmospheric pressure to anerating producer gas'of consistent calorific value and drawing orexhausting it off down through the body of fuel, cleaning such gas bysprays of water, continuously drawing oil the cleaned gas, regulatingand reducing the pressure and delivering the gas at approximatelyatmospheric pressure to a gas engine, and when the engine is temporarilystopped, or operated at reduced speed or load, blowing off gas withoutinterrupting the action of theexhaust, whereby the generation thereof ismaintained uniform irrespective of whether the engine is in operation ornot and whereby a standard quality of gas may be delivered at all timeson instant demand, so that full power may be had as. required forpropelling a vessel. 3. Themethod .of operating a gas power plant,consisting in continuously generating producer gas and drawing it olffrom the body of fuel, cleaning such gas ,by sprays of water,continuously exhausting off the cleaned gas, regulating and reducing thepressure and delivering the gas at approxi mately constant pressure to agas engine, heating the exhaust gaseous products from the engine, mixedwith air by means of the outgoing hot gas, and drawing the resulting hotmixtureinto the fuel of the generator for effecting economy in operatingthe plant, and when the engine is temporarily stopped, or operated atreduced speed or load, blowing off gas without interrupting 'the actionof the exhaust, whereby the generation thereof is maintained uniformirrespective of Whether the engine is in operation or not and Whereby astandard quality of gas may be delivered at all times on instant demand,so that full power may be had as required for propelling a vessel.

4. The method of operating a gas power plant, consisting in continuouslygenerating producer gas and drawing or exhausting it off from the bodyof fuel, cleaning such gas by sprays of water, continuously exhaustingoff the clean gas, regulating and reducing the pressure and deliveringthe gas at approxiniately constant pressure to a gas engine,

and heating the mixture by means of outgoing hot gas from the generator,and drawing the hot mixture 0 products and air into the top of thegenerator and thence down into and through the body of fuel for eifectineconomy in operating the plant, and w en the engine is temporarilystopped or operated at reduced speed or load, blowing off gas withoutinterrupting the action of the exhaust, whereby the generation thereofis maintained uniform irrespective of whether the engine is in operationor not, and whereby a standard quality of as may be delivered at alltimes on instant demand to the engine, so that full 15 power may be hadas required for propelling a vessel. a

In testimony whereof we aflix our signatures in presence of twowitnesses.

HAWLEY PE'ITIBONE. C. LEE STRAUB. Witnesses:

T. F. MEAGHER, W. R. FULLER.

